Motor vehicle emergency call systems are known in which a person in distress can get relatively immediate aid and rescue following a vehicle accident or other emergency situation that occurs while the vehicle is on a roadway. Specifically, in such systems, a wireless radio transmitter or transponder box is installed and located somewhere inside the vehicle and, based upon pre-determined circumstances or events, for example, deployment of an airbag, immediately and automatically generates and transmits a radiating distress signal or voice call to one or more remotely located central call centers or stations that, typically, have a standby dispatch system manned by call center personnel. Thus, vehicle emergency call systems provide an invaluable lifesaving advantage by initiating an emergency signal almost instantaneously and in circumstances where a person is incapacitated or otherwise unable to call for help.
In some applications, the wireless radio transponder is capable of both transmitting and receiving signals, thereby providing a two-way communication device that allows for the emergency response source (e.g., hospital, police, or fire emergency department) and/or the central call center to actively and/or remotely interrogate the vehicle emergency system or establish direct communication with the driver or a passenger of the vehicle. Accordingly, additional information can be acquired for assessing the emergency and determining the appropriate emergency response.
Adapting emergency call systems for use in a vehicle is complex and unique challenges arise in managing remote transfers of data to or from a disabled or damaged vehicle, which is especially true where emergency information routing systems differ among the various regions in which a vehicle can travel. The user interfaces alone are time-consuming to develop and to operate.
A number of advances have been made to effectively and safely manage the multitude of incoming distress signals and data at the receiving end of the emergency call systems, including the establishment and implementation of specific protocols and communication networks for responding to the signals. For example, these system protocols are capable of determining a priority for responding to the various incoming signals, deciphering whether or not an emergency has occurred despite errors in the signal or disablement of the emergency call device inside the vehicle, and allocating the distress signal and data to the appropriate emergency response team. Various system and call flow architectures exist that have been set aside and segregated specifically for the receiving side of the emergency call systems. These system architectures involve either government organized public emergency services, private third-party emergency services, or an interrelated combination of both.
FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram of a prior art emergency call (e-call) system. Present systems allow a communication device in the vehicle to dial a public safety answering point (PSAP). However, present systems have to rely on the PSAP to accept the types of calls presented by these systems. Information provided to the PSAP is provided only over a voice connection. For example, when a vehicle detects a crash, an associated wireless phone of the user dials 911. When the 911 call is answered by a live agent or call queuing system, the agent can use signaling to receive latitude/longitude coordinates from the vehicle and obtain voice from the vehicle occupant. Prior art systems rely on the wireless phone of the user and receive the location from either the vehicle's in-built hardware or from the phone's E911 infrastructure. If there is a problem determining the latitude/longitude of the vehicle from the vehicle or the wireless phone of the user, the vehicle occupant may experience a significant delay in receiving emergency services.
Prior art systems have significant disadvantages. As previously stated, all calls go directly to 911. Prior art systems provide no call screening capability. Further, there is no future support for new data and/or policies. Lastly, there is no way to adapt prior art systems to support local PSAP preferences, laws or regulations, especially where these preferences, laws, and regulations vary over time and geography.
Thus, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art systems, designs, and processes as discussed above.